Site Event/Activity record ECH4383 - St Elphin's Primary School, Salisbury Street, Warrington, Cheshire: Rapid Desk-Based Assessment and Evaluation Report

A desk based assessment, followed by the excavation of trial trenches, were undertaken in 2007 to support the proposed construction of a new primary school and associated sports fields, to be called St Elphin’s Primary School, and located within the grounds of St Elphin’s Park off Salisbury Street, Warrington. The 8100m² development area was thought to incorporate part of the eastern grounds and defences of a former medieval earth and timber motte and bailey castle, known as ‘The Mote’ or ‘The Mount’, and possibly an early medieval manorial site, as well as possible Roman activity. The desk-based assessment, revealed that Roman finds had been found in the vicinity of St Elphin’s Park, and a Roman road is thought to have been located c 200-250m south-west of it. It confirmed the possibility that the development area may incorporate or lie adjacent to the eastern limit of the eleventh to mid-thirteenth century motte and bailey castle. The current St Elphin’s Park was shown to be within the former medieval park attached to the castle. In 1643, during the English Civil War, The Mote is thought to have been used as a battery by the Royalists during the parliamentarian siege of Warrington. It was removed in the nineteenth century, but much of the bailey or ward of the castle has, up to now, largely been left untouched by post-medieval and twentieth century activity. It was concluded that, although no upstanding remains or earthworks of the motte and bailey castle are present at the site, archaeological features and horizons below ground level could have remained in a good state of preservation. The trial trench excavations comprised five trenches (20m by 1.8m) within the footprint of the proposed school buildings. Although the proposed school buildings lie within close proximity to the medieval castle and potentially an early medieval manorial site, no direct evidence of either was found in the evaluation trenches. Roman and probable post-medieval features do, however, were recorded within the buildings' footprint. (1)